Machine for molding soap and the like substances



J. SMHH.

MACH INE FOR-MOLDING SOAP AND THE LIKE SUBSTANCES.

APPLICATION men NOV-16,1920- 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented July 12, 1921.

n V i m J. SMITH.

MACHINE FOR MOLDING SOAP AND IHE LIKE SUBSTANCES- APPLICATION FILED NOV-16, 1920.

35 4mm m w 92 ,1 1, II N 2M \nuy I v Q Q a W NW a m m 3 nm PATENTOFFICE.

JOSIAH SMITH, OF LEEDS ENGLAND.

, MACHINE FOR MOLDING-SOAP AND THE SUBSTANCES. I

Specification of LettersPatent. Patented Jul 12, 192.1.

I Applicationrfiled November 16, 1920 Serial No. 424,363.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, JOSIAH. SMITH, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Leeds, in the county of York, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for MoldingSoap and the like Substances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for molding soap and the likesubstances (hereinafter termed soap into bars or slabs, and hasreference to that kind of machine wherein hot liquid soap is drawn downinto smooth metal molds of tubular formation by way of their upper openends from a supply tank situated thereover and in which, on the contentsof the molds having become set by cooling, the solidified bars or slabsof soap are ejected upwardly from the molds.

Hitherto, the tubular molds of the soapmolding machine have been fittedwith plungers which'are lowered to draw the hot liquid soap from thesupply tank into the molds and are raised to eject the solidified barsor slabs of soap from the molds.

This known plunger device however has the effect of rendering thesoap-molding operation slow and tedious; and the object of this presentinvention is to provide the tubular molds of soap-moldingv machines withan improved charging and discharging mechanism, the arrangement beingsuch as to enable the soapmolding operation to be carried on in a muchmore speedy and efficient manner than heretofore.

According to my invention, the tubular molds of the soap-molding machineare carried in a framing and provided at their upper open ends with asupply tank containing the hot liquid soap as before; but instead ofemploying mechanically operated plungers in the molds, they are fittedwith pistons which are lowered to draw the hot liquid soap from thesupply tank into the molds through the medium of a vacuum set up withinthe molds beneath their pistons and, after the cooling of the contentsof the molds, are raised through the medium of compressed air passedinto the molds beneath their pistons to eject the solidified bars orslabs of soap from the molds.

1 will now proceed to describe the invention with reference to theexample of construction shown in the accompanying drawings; whereinFigures 1 and 2 are respectively a part sectional elevation and a planview of a soap-molding machine, having its battery of tubular molds formolding bars of soap fitted with my improved charging and dischargingmechanism; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of one of thetubular molds of the machine shown at Figs. 1 and 2. Figs. 4 and 5 aresimilar Views to Fig. 3 showing slight modifications of construction;and Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation and a plan view of a tubular moldfor molding slabs of soap fitted with my improved charging anddischarging mechanism.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, 1 is aframing within which is mounted a vertically arranged battery of tubularmolds 2 designed for forming bars of soap, the said framing 1 beingprovided at its upper part over the upper open ends of the tubular molds2 with a supply tank 3 adapted to act as a container for the hot liquidsoap. The tubular molds 2 are fitted with vertically slidable pistons4%, while the. lower ends of the tubular molds '2 are closed by plates 5carrying short vertical pipes 6 by which communication is establishedbetween the tubular molds 2 and a series of longitudinal pipes 7 leadinginto a transverse pipe 8 of a main pipe 9 joined on the one hand bybranch pipe 10 to a steam ejector 11 and on the other hand by a branchpipe 12 to a container casing 13 of an air-compressor engine'll, thesteam ejector branch pipe 10 being fitted with a cut-off valve 15 andthe air-compressor branch pipe 12 with a cut-01f valve 16.

Assuming the valves 15, 16 to be closed and the pistons 4: to besituated at the up per ends of the tubular molds 2 as in Fig. 1; aquantity of hot liquid soap suflicient to fill the entire battery oftubular molds 2 is first poured into the supply tank 3', when on openingthe valve 15 the steam ejector 11 has the effectof exhausting the airfrom the tubular molds 2 by way of the pipes 10, 9, 8, 7 and 6, wherebya vacuum is set up within the tubular molds 2 beneath their pistons 1which thus fall and in doing so draw down the hot liquid soap from thesupply tank 3 into the tubular molds 2. The contents ofthe tubular molds2 are then allowed toset by cooling; after which, 011 the valve 15having been closed so as to cut off the steam ejector 11, the valve 16is opened to admit compressed air from the compressor casing 13 alongthe pipes 12, 9,

8, 7 and 6 to within the tubular molds 2 I beneath their pistons 4 whichthus become raised and eject the solidified bars of soap upwardly fromthetubular molds 2.

The battery of tubular molds 2 having.

. employing the above described charging and discharging mechanism, thesoap-molding operation-is rendered capable of being carried on in a muchmore speedy and eiiicient manner than heretoltore.

Referring pa-rticu'larly.-to Fig. 4 of the drawings, the tubular mold 2is termed near its upper end with a side aperture 17 fitted with a flapvalve 18 which during the down stroke oi the piston t keeps the aperture17 closed, but which on the up stroke of the piston 4 ii-mits the upwardmovement of the latter by acting as a relief tothe compressed airimmediately the piston 4 "has passed the aperture 17'.

"ll n Fig. 5 of the drawings, "the upward control of the piston 4 in the"tubular mold '2 is effected by means ofan attached chain 19; otherwisethe action is similar to that described with reference to Fig. 4.

Referring particularly to Fig. 6 of the drawings, the tubular mold 2 isof oblong cross-section fitted with a piston '2 of a corres pondi ngshape fi o'r enabling the soap to be molded into slabsythe charging anddischarging of the said mold 2 being similar to that of the molds 2previously described.

What I *ci-ai-nr as my invention and desire.

to secure by Letters Patent is 1+ 1. A soap-molding machine of the kindspecified; comprising in "combination, a framing, t ubu la r moldscarried by the framing, a tank situated on the ii-raining for supplyinghot liquid soap to the upper 'open ends of the"-tubu'lar molds,sl-idablepistons within the tubular molds, and means for setting up avacuunrwithin the tubular molds to "lower the slidable pistons and draw"the hot liquid soap from the supply "tank into said tubular molds,together with means for supplying compressed air to the tubular molds toraise the "slidaflble pistons and eject the solidified bars or slabs ofsoap from said tubular molds. I

2. A soap-moldingmachine of the kind specified; comprising incombination, a framing, tubular molds carried by the framing, a tanksituated on the framing for supplying hot liquid soap to the upper openends of the tubular molds, slidable pistons within the tubular molds,and a steam ejector adapted to set up a vacuum within the tubular moldsto lower theslidable pistons and draw the hot liquid soap from the sup-'ply tank into said tubular molds, together with a compressor adapted toforce compressed air into the tubular molds to raise the slidablepistons and "eject the solidified bars or slabs of soap from saidtubular molds.

3. A soap-molding machine of the kind specified; comprising incombination, a framing, tubular molds carried by the framing, a tanirsituated on the framing for 'sup-.

plying hot liquid soap to the upper open ends of the tubular molds,"sli-dable pistons within the tubular molds, a steam ejector adapted toset up a Vacuum within the tubular molds to lower the slid-able pistonsand draw the hot liquid soap from the supply tank into said tuhularmolds, and a compressor adapted to force compressed air into the tubularmolds to raise the slidab-le pistons and eject the solidified bars orsl-aios of soap from said tubular molds, together-with means forcont-rolling the upward movement of {the slidable pistons within thetubular molds.

4. A soap-molding machine of the kind specified; comprising [incombination, a framing, tubular molds carried by the *framing, a tanksituated on the framing for supplying hot liquid soap to the upper openends of the tubular mo'l-ds, slidable pistons within the tubular molds,a steam ejector adapted to set up a vacuum within the tubular molds tolower the 'slidable pistons and draw the hot liquid soap from the supplyta n-k into said tubular molds, and "a 'com

